Roof ventilator with nozzled domed end



Oct. 8, 1968 w, TOPP 3,404,619

ROOF VENTILATOR WITH NOZZLED DOMED END Filed May 18, 1966 I IN V EN TOR.

kill HELM FRIEDRHIH TOPP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Filed'May 18, 1966 Oct.8,1968 w.F. o 3,404,619

ROOF VENTILATOR WITH NOZ'ZLED DOMED END Y INVENTORI. FRIEDRICH TOPP wlL HElM {Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,404,619 ROOF VENTILATOR WITH NOZZLED DOMED END Wilhelm Friedrich Topp, Chemnitzer Strasse 5, Empelde, Hannover, Germany Filed May 18, 1966, Ser. No. 551,160 5 Claims. (Cl. 98-42) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ventilating device including an end cap terminating in a domed end portion and provided with a plurality of outstanding nozzles, each of which is provided with an axial opening therethrough. The diameters of the individual openings being insuflicient to allow the ingress of foreign bodies or materials into the interior of the end cap but cumulatively providing ventilation from the interior thereof.

Ventilators of this type usually consist of a tube, the top end of which is tapered to form a nozzlelike opening and they may also have openings in its peripheral wall. As a rule, the bottom end of the pipe is widened frusto-conically and provided with a discontinuous flangelike rim, so that the air below the roofing may pass through the breaks into the pipe with the nOZZle openings, thus ensuring a circulation of air below the roofing and the elimination of humidity.

The disadvantage with these existing ventilators, however, is that the height of the nozzle openings above the surface in which the ventilators are fitted cannot be altered and/or there is no provision for changing the position of the nozzle openings in the ventilators, as is so often desirable when the erection of other buildings nearby brings about a change in air-flow conditions above the expanse that requires to be kept free from moisture.

According to the present invention there is provided a ventilator for roofs, walls or the like which comprises a tube, a flange portion at one end of said tube and a detachable cowl having nozzle openings therein disposed at the other end of said tube.

This form of construction enables the cylindrical or possibly slightly conical pipe to be lengthened by the fitting of additional similar pipe sections, but, without attachment flanges, so that the cowl which caps the final extension piece can be brought to various heights, to suit requirements, above the roof or the like which has to be ventilated. By varying the height of the cowl with its nozzle openings in this way, account can be taken of weather and air-flow conditions. It is similarly possible to obtain the reverse effect by shortening the flanged pipe by cutting off a suitable length.

With a ventilator conforming to the invention, it is an advantage for the flange fitted to the bottom end to be made detachable or separate from the pipe, with provision for it to be screwed to the ventilator pipe and attached to the roofing, wall and so forth by means of nails or screws or otherwise. To provide passages for the moisture-laden air, the rim of the bottom end of the ventilator pipe resting on or in the roof covering is notched.

It is an important object of the present invention to fabricate the ventilator from plastic materials, such as polyethylene or vinyl plastics, for example, polyvinyl chloride. Such flexible plastic material is employed because it has the advantages, in connection with the present invention, that it does not corrode and the pipe can be made with surplus lengths and easily cut down to the desired size with an ordinary knife or similar cutter. Further, the plastic ventilator can withstand rough handling 3 ,404,619 Patented Oct. 8, 1968 in its installation and in use, and will tend to retain its initial shape. Of course, the pipe and cowl can be extruded from the plastic material, thereby resulting in speedy and less costly manufacture of the ventilator.

The closed end of the cowl fitted on the ventilator pipe should preferably be hemispherical in shape, the nozzle openings being formed by a number of small pipes, preferably arranged in concentric circles and having their months all in one plane. Instead of the hemispherical cowl with nozzle openings running axially, one can also use a cylindrical cowl having its nozzle openings in the peripheral wall and covered with a domed cap.

By the provision of a multiplicity of small nozzle pipes in the form of circles concentric around the center line of the cow], an opening having a large total cross-sectional area is obtained without the individual openings having an inside width great enough to allow foreign bodies to get into the smaller nozzle pipes or the larger pipe of the ventilator. Moreover, the comparatively small cross-sectional area of the individual openings has the advantage of imparting a high velocity to the air flowing through the ventilator.

The use of a detachable fixing flange on the bottom end of the ventilator pipe also makes it possible to fit the cowled pipe on to an existing ventilation pipe, such as is often carried right through the roof for the ventilation of spaces to which access is difficult.

To provide a proper seal where the ventilator is fixed on or in the roofing, wall or the like, a sleeve roughly L-shaped in cross section and having a central opening is provided. This is slipped by its central opening over the ventilator pipe and sealed round with a plastic sealing compound.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forthwith particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross section of the ventilator conforming to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan of the ventilator shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through a modified form of cowl for the ventilator, and

FIG. 4 is a section following the line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

As can be seen from the drawings, the ventilator consists of a slightly tapered, open-ended pipe 1 of fairly large cross-sectional area. Its larger diameter end 2 is provided with notches 3 and is surrounded by an anchor member 5 of L-section and including a sleeve portion 5' fixed to pipe 1 by screws 4. The member 5 includes an attachment flange 5" which is fixed to the roofing by means of nails 6, for example. The end provided with notches 3 projects into a corresponding opening 7 in roof covering 8 which may consist of roofing felt. A cowl 10 is mounted on the upper, smaller diameter end 9 of pipe 1, and includes a hemispherical portion 11 and a depend ing cylindrical portion 12.

The depending cylindrical portion 12 which has an inside diameter that fits snugly over pipe end 9 and is firmly held by friction therebetween. In the hemispherical portion, a number of nozzle openings 13 are disposed in concentric circles, as can be seen most clearly in FIG. 2. In the example illustrated, three concentric circles of nozzle openings 13 are arranged around a central nozzle 14. The nozzle openings extend through short pipes 15, which become longer towards the rim of the cow], in such a way that all the nozzle openings 13 lie within a common plane.

A sealing member 16 having a central opening 17 surrounds the lower end 2 of the pipe 1 to enclose the anchor member 5 and ensure a proper seal for the fixed end of the ventilator. This is of such dimensions that, in the position shown in FIG. 1, the rim enclosing central opening 17 presses firmly against the peripheral wall of pipe 1. The area enclosed by the sealing member 16 can be filled with plastic sealing compound 18 so as to be forced into even the tiniest joints and cracks in roof covering 8 and anchor member 5 as the sealing member 16 is pressed down.

FIGS. 3 and 4 represent another form of detachable cowl 10' for the ventilator conforming to the invention. This cowl comprises a substantially cylindrical and, preferably, slightly tapered member 12' in the peripheral wall of which and preferably near the upper end are provided nozzle openings 13'. These openings extend through short radially disposed pipes 15' and, preferably, are slightly tapered progressively smaller toward the outside. Upper end 19 of member 12 is covered by cap 20, which is dome-shaped, and has a rim 21 which overhangs and extends to a plane lying below the plane of nozzle openings 13'.

The ventilator can be lengthened by fitting two or more pipes 1 together with the anchor member 5 secured around the base of the lower pipe and a cowl 10, 10 fitted to the upper pipe. It is also possible to cut a suitable length off a pipe 1, thus reducing the height of the nozzle openings above roofing 8. Pipe 1 and cowl 10, 10 may be of practically any length and/ or diameter.

The ventilator is made from suitable plastic material, such as polyethylene or soft polyvinyl chloride, as aforedescribed.

It the ventilator is to be fitted not directly to the roofing, but to the end of an existing ventilation pipe that is carried through the roof structure, the ventilator to be used should have a pipe 1 of such diameter at its lower end 2 that it can be mounted on the ventilation pipe end. Screws 4 can then be used for attachment to the ventilation pipe end.

Although a certain specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is obvious that many modifications thereof are possible. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A ventilator for roofs, walls or the like, comprising a tube, a flange portion at one end of said tube and a detachable cowl having nozzle openings therein disposed at the other end of said tube, said flanged tube end extending through and beyond said flange portion and being provided with openings unobstructed by said flange portion, a roof structure including a base and roofing covering said base, said flanged tube end extending beyond said flange portion and fitted snugly within and opening within said roofing with said flange portion overlying said roofing and being fixed to said base, said tube end having openings therein for communication between said tube and the interior of said roof structure.

2. A ventilator according to claim 1 comprising an annular cover surrounding said tube and engaging said roofing to enclose said flange portion, and sealing compound filling any space between said cover, tube flange portion and roofing.

3. A roof ventilating system comprising, in combination,

a roof structure including a base and roofing material covering said base,

ventilator means mounted on and projecting upwardly from said base through said roofing material, said ventilator means comprising: an elongate tubular body mounted on said base and having a vent opening for venting a space with which it communicates primarily by means of convection,

and an end cap for said tubular body, said end cap having a tubular lower end portion detachably receiving the upper end of said tubular body, and an essentially closed upper end portion terminating in a domed end,

said upper end portion being provided with a plurality of outstanding nozzles, each of which has an axial opening therethrough, the diameters of said openings individually being insufficient to allow the entrance of foreign bodies while cumulatively venting the interior of said tubular body.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein said nozzles are formed in said domed end, the nozzles being parallel and terminating at their free ends in a common plane.

5. A ventilating device for roofs or the like, comprisan elongate tubular body,

and an end cap for said tubular body, said end cap having a tubular lower end portion detachably receiving the upper end of said tubular body, and an essentially closed upper end portion terminating in a domed end,

said upper end portion being provided with a plurality of outstanding nozzles, each of which has an axial opening therethrough, the diameters of said openings individually being insufficient to allow the entrance of foreign bodies while cumulatively venting the interior of said tubular body,

said nozzles being formed circumferentially around said end cap, said domed end having a peripheral overhang shielding said nozzles whereby to prevent the ingress of foreign material through said nozzles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,785,015 3/1957 Van Den Brock 9840 XR 2,168,798 8/1939 Hirschman 98-42 2,277,982 3/1942 Hosbein 9842 2,780,978 2/1957 Pierson 9842 X FOREIGN PATENTS 414,105 6/1910 France. 864,705 1/1941 France.

9,850 1900 Great Britain. 310,993 5/ 1929 Great Britain.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

M. A. ANTONAKAS, Assistant Examiner. 

